


Withered Peace

by lesbomancy



Category: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic
Genre: Alderaan, Army of the Galactic Republic, Coruscant, F/F, F/M, Gen, Great Galactic War, Jedi, Mandalore, Sith, Space Opera, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-16
Updated: 2015-11-16
Packaged: 2018-05-01 20:38:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5220017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lesbomancy/pseuds/lesbomancy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Moff Van Kymeri invades the Keldin system, going from an Outer Rim threat to a Core Worlds problem. Ongree Jedi Master Keblik Qardrin brings together a variety of people and parties, hoping to avoid total annihilation of Keldin's people and a series of events which could tip the scales of the Great Galactic War, dooming the Galactic Republic and free peoples everywhere.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Withered Peace

Keldin System, Alderaan Sector, Core Worlds

Moff Van Kymeri stood on the bridge of his flagship, staring into the infinite expanse of the galaxy as it dropped out of hyperspace with a noticeable jerk. Several planets in the distance appeared, as well as a trio of smaller ships eclipsed in size by Kymeri's dreadnaught. The lights on the bridge dimmed from white to red as the command crew of the vessel readied for conflict, each of their voices intermingling in a cloud of purpose as their issued their orders to each individual section of the ship one by one until every single crewman was in position. Two Imperial fighter squadrons dropped out of hyperspace beside the dreadnaught, hovering close in an attack formation.

The captain of the ship, a portly older woman who had at least one medal on her breast for each year of the Great Galactic War, cleared her throat beside Kymeri. "Moff Kymeri, all ships and personnel accounted for. We wait only for your order, my lord."

"Disable planetary defenses, Captain Lurle." Kymeri responded.

"Yes, my lord." she paused, her hand clicking down a button on the command console. "All forces engage."

As the captain released the button the flagship accelerated to within only a few thousand meters of the trio of ships before it. Both fighter wings continued forward, racing past the Republic vessels towards the nearby planetary orbital stations. The defending vessels tried desperately to respond to the threat but one of them was refueling and the other was facing another direction entirely. Their fighters scrambled yet most of them were quickly cut down as they filed out of the hangers, both Imperial wings drawing what remained into an atmospheric dog fight as they pursued communication satellites.

"Fire on the corvettes," Moff Kymeri ordered. "Isotope-5 payloads."

The gunnery officers let out an elated affirmation nearly all at the same time. Within moments rocket pods opened up on the Jaguar Sun's hull and warheads spiraled out in a random path to each of the three ships defending the local solar system. Upon impact the warheads seemed to create some sort of chain reaction within the hulls of each ship as if the vessels themselves were the grounds for miniature black holes. The first ship cracked in hall within seconds, the local gravity of the nearby planet dragging it down as the second simply imploded into a massive ball of fire and debris. The third vessel survived barely, most of it's hull scorched and pockmarked by the damage. The Jaguar Sun's turbo lasers pivoted, taking aim and firing in bursts until the corvette was nothing but a superheated mass of scrap metal.

As the escape pods from the third vessel flew off in every direction the Jaguar Sun approached orbit, ploughing through burnt orbital stations, satellites and the remains of civilian and military ships alike. The bridge's lights switched back to their normal hue, most of the crew clapping happily at the victory before committing themselves to their work once more. Kymeri stood beside Captain Lurle as she studied her command console, too busy to consider any form of celebrating.

"All orbital forces disabled or destroyed, my lord." Captain Lurle said.

"Good," Kymeri returned. "Get our satellites in orbit, jam all transmissions from the surface - nothing in or out."

Several technicians nodded in affirmation after an order was barked out from the Captain and a horde of speeder sized satellites ejected from the Jaguar Sun's drone bays, dodging between Imperial vessels and the burnt Republic wreckage that once stood in defense of the planet. They stopped short of entering the planet's atmosphere, the trails of a thousand white-hot thruster engines lighting up as they ceased their advance and created a blockade to all off world communication, even if the Jaguar Sun moved out of the system.

Kymeri held onto the edges of the main console as he looked over Keldin Prime, only barely able to register the faint and intermittent white lights that cycled from each drone. "Are all of the dropships loaded, Captain?"

"Yes, sir. Two companies and their ancillaries," Lurle paused. "Are we not to wait for Lord Hyst?"

"No."

"Shall I prompt the launch, sir?"

"Do so, Captain." Kymeri smiled, his demeanor changing entirely from the tense soldier on the bridge to the excited child celebrating Empire Day. "Begin the invasion. Clear the board."

The Captain turned to their subordinates, barking out orders. A torpedo bay in the front of the Sun opened up, a single missile erupting from it's casing as it propelled itself through the Keldin atmosphere. A single white flash, barely visible, registered on the capital ship's sensor arrays and nearly two dozen Imperial dropships poured out of the major hangar bay, one after another until they disappeared into the cloudy planet's atmosphere. Kymeri turned to see the arrival of a pureblooded Sith woman in form-fitting armor from the neck down. She made him nervous as her mohawk, obscene amount of piercings and dark make-up gave her a striking and imposing image when combined with what seemed to be a perpetual sneer and a natural affinity for the Force - a weapon that the Moff never could wield himself. Trailing behind the Sith was another figure, although it was a smaller Rattataki with bright white eyes and most of her person concealed underneath a heavy robe. Paired together they made Kymeri terribly uneasy, almost physically sick from what he considered to be a magician's sorcery.

"Darth Impes, what brings you here? I had thought you would be on the first ship towards the planet. Keldin's militia is rumored to be... fiesty" he inclined his head slightly in a begrudging acknowledgement of the Sith's rank.

"If my trip with you was for my own pleasure then my saber would have cut through a regiment already. Darth Marr has contacted me - he is concerned that an entire naval section under your command has gone missing. This not a sanctioned invasion," Impes scowled, her fists curling inward and letting Kymeri know as much when the leather became audibly taut.

"It isn't," Kymeri admitted. "But I had thought there no better ally in destroying a world near to the soul of the Galactic Republic."

"He does not approve. Too bold. Wasteful."

"Marr will approve when our campaign yields the fruit of victory. That and I believe you and this planet's elected ruler have a history. A former Jedi by the name of Zayuri?"

"You're using me," Impes said flatly.

"We're using each other. Zayuri and her world for my victory in the Core Worlds. Fair, is it not?"

"Until I smell a hint of betrayal, Moff. Then this ship will become mine."

"Shall I have my crew ready your vessel, then, my lord?"

"Yes. Do not underestimate Zayuri. She will have the Republic here regardless of any blockade."

"I'm counting on it," Kymeri replied. "How else can I prove I am worthy of the title of Grand Moff without a glorious victory against overwhelming odds?"

Darth Impes held her mouth shut, lips going thin as she avoided answering. "I require a contact line to you. Make it so, Kymeri."

"As you wish, my lord."

Darth Impes turned on a heel, the rattataki behind her following closely without so much as a peep. When they had both left the bridge Kymeri looked out through the observation deck, clasping his hands behind his back.

"Captain, do as she requested. When they've landed form a defensive perimeter around the planet. I suspect our enemies will approach from Coruscant in due time."

"Yes, sir." Captain Lurle responded. "Any further orders?"

"No. The trap is set. Now we wait."


End file.
